One of his little nephews raced up to him. “Can I have that?” he asked.
“Sorry, buddy. It’s mine,” Fen said.
“You going to eat it?” Bree asked.
“No, but maybe I’ll keep it as a souvenir.” He stood up. So did she. “Why are you here, Bree?”
“Because... because.”
“Spit it out. You can do it.”
“I miss you.”
“I miss you, too.”
“Can we... talk?”
“We are talking.”
He wasn’t making this easy.
His mother had gotten momentarily distracted, but she was back. “It looks like you’re on your way to a party,” she said. Surprisingly, she didn’t add, “Don’t let us keep you.”
“My Gram got married today,” Bree said.
“How nice for her.” That was it. No invitation to stay and have something to eat.
“Could I talk to Fen for a minute?” Bree asked her.
Mrs. Clarke didn’t look happy about the idea. Who could blame her? But she nodded.
Fen led the way back to the front door and they stepped onto the porch, shutting out the noise. He leaned against the door and folded his hands across his chest. “Bree, I’m not sure what you want from me.”
“I want a second chance. Please tell me you’re not with someone.”
“Why?”
Of all the answers he could have given her, this wasn’t the one she’d expected. “What do you mean?”
“Why? I want to know why you want to be with me when you know I want more than you want to give.”
“Because I can’t stand being without you,” she cried. “I’ve been wrecked all summer.”
“Yeah, well, I haven’t exactly been happy.”
“It didn’t stop you from going out,” she said.
“Didn’t stop you, either. Look, I’m trying to move on. You left me shattered, Bree. I’ve been working all summer to try to get over that. I don’t think I can take it if you do it again.”
“I don’t want to do it. I want to get past being so messed up. I want what’s in there,” she said, motioning to the door. “And I want it with you. Please give me another chance. And don’t let me blow it.”
“Aww, Bree,” he said, and pulled her up against him so hard she almost got whiplash.
It wasn’t a gentle kiss. It was filled with a determination and power and all that stupid stuff she’d read about when she was young and thought that true love existed. Maybe it did. Maybe it could.
He broke off and ran a hand through her hair, loosening the silk flowers pinned in it. “Do you know why I couldn’t move when I first saw you tonight?”
She shook her head, held her breath.
